Shadows

The city was drowning in a heavy silence, as if it were slowly dying beneath merciless black clouds. Kaida and Faelan stood before a massive iron gate, covered in rust and mysterious carvings that shimmered gently under the falling rain. The air was cold, but it carried something beyond the chill—it held promises of danger and buried secrets.

Kaida tightened her grip on the ancient book in her hands, feeling as if it pulsed with a hidden heartbeat. Its pages seemed to breathe, glowing faintly like the memory of an endless night. She knew that each step she took was carrying her further from her old world—toward a place from which there would be no return.

The two exchanged a brief look; their words lived in the silent spaces between the lines. Faelan, with his gray eyes holding both sorrow and strength, whispered:

"The closer we get to the heart of the tower, the harder the trial becomes. It doesn't want us to know the truth."

Kaida stepped cautiously toward the gate. Ancient symbols carved deeply into the metal glistened lightly as raindrops touched them. She tapped the surface with her fingers and felt a faint tremor pass through her, as if the tower itself was breathing, pulsing, sensing her presence.

They entered through the gate, now rusted by the pressure of time, and a long metallic creak echoed through the dark corridor. The dim light from decrepit lanterns highlighted the dust and cracked walls, while distant sounds began to emerge—confused whispers growing louder.

"Listen..." Faelan murmured, as a faint voice began to reverberate in the air. Voices of unknown people, suspended between past and present—like waves crashing from forgotten memories.

Slowly, shadows began to form on the walls, dancing with the rhythm of the whispers, taking on strange and frightening shapes. Each shadow carried a story—a tale of loss, pain, and a longing for vengeance.

Kaida felt the weight of memories tightening around her chest, but she refused to let fear take hold.

As they advanced deeper into the corridor, a tremor rippled through the air, and the shadow before them began to move—transforming from a simple silhouette on the wall into a living creature. It was a dark entity, half smoke, half shifting shadow, with eyes glowing red like embers.

"The tower's guardian," Faelan said cautiously. "The first part of the trial."

Faelan took the book and began reciting an ancient incantation. His voice was low, yet strong, each word brimming with power against the darkness.

Kaida, despite her fear, placed her hand on the book as well and felt energy flow into her, melting away her fear and turning it into courage.

The beast moved toward them slowly, exhaling black smoke, then let out a thunderous scream—the echo of all the terror the tower had witnessed over decades.

The battle began. The book's light rose like a sun within unending darkness, and Kaida's and Faelan's powers united to repel the shadow.

Every strike they delivered was a fight for survival—not just of their bodies, but their very souls.

Faelan wasn't just a warrior; he carried a deep wound, and the pain echoed in every movement.

Kaida, on the other hand, felt her heart slowly opening—like a flower blooming in the dark night—embracing the power that had begun to awaken inside her.

And amid this struggle, it wasn't just the monster they had to face, but also the memories gnawing at their spirits, and the doubts trying to sow discord between them.

With a temporary victory, the book's pages began to glow—as if responding to their deed—and opened a new passage before them, a gateway to a greater secret, a truth that could change everything.

Kaida knew the journey was far from over, and that the shadows they faced were merely the beginning of a greater storm—a storm that could tear the city apart... and perhaps her soul as well.